Internal Bleaching
When a single tooth turns gray it can be fixed during root canal treatment by internal bleaching. As shown in the case above, a patient had trauma on her upper left front tooth (#10) and the tooth became gray in color. During root canal treatment after the canal is permanently sealed with gutta percha, a bleaching agent was applied internally. The patient returned 24 hours later, the bleaching agent was removed and a permanent filling was placed on the back of the tooth. As you can see in the images above her tooth is now indistinguishable from those surrounding it.
Traditional bleaching methods would not have changed the appearance of this tooth and by not choosing to have a veneer placed over the tooth the patient maintains more natural tooth structure.
Have more questions about internal bleaching or a tooth that appears gray? Give us a call at 512-879-1350!
